A major feat towards the regulation and standardisation of hospitality business in Nigeria has been achieved by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria as its National Mirror Committee (NMC) on Tourism and related activities has successfully completed work on the first ever national framework on standards of Nigerian hotels, which is expected to form the baseline for the grading and classification of hotels in the country once approved.

Head Ogun State Office of SON, Engr. Enebi Shaibu Onucheyo who represented the Director General of SON, Osita Anthony Aboloma, at the event held in Lagos recently, described this as a great achievement, which would bring about development in the tourism industry and lift it to another level as well as build confident in the products and services offered by the industry in Nigeria.

He commended the Chairperson of the committee, Mrs. Chika Balogun, who is also the director general of the National Institute of Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) and all the various tourism associations and operators who have contributed to the document for their various contributions, which he said made it possible to produce the document which would now be presented to the council of SON and the international community such as the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) for approval before it can become operational.

The National Mirror Committee was inaugurated by SON in April this year in Lagos with the mandate to review and adopt the International Standard Organisation (ISO/T228) and Africa Organisation for Standardisation set up by ECOWAS in accordance with international best practices for use in the tourism industry.

Three other documents, which are meant for use in the Nigerian tourism industry were also presented and adopted by the committee making it four documents that were deliberated on and adopted.

Speaking on this development, Mrs. Balogun, said it has great import for tourism as it would further boost the image of the country, inspire confidence in investors, encourage more investment, create jobs and wealth for the country.

"This would attract Direct Foreign Investment (FDI), local and regional investments to the country and the tourism industry because would not put their money where they are not sure but with such an important document as standards for hotels, it would boost the confidence of investors to now trust the industry and invest in it becomes it has now become more reliable and respected as there are now standards of operation to guide operators and investors."

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